Red Lights
by plockD
Summary: In De Wallen, Amsterdam's center of sin, Maleficent accidentally stumbles upon a familiar face in one of the most famous red-draped theaters. Desperate to get involved, she brings Aurora back to London with her, hoping to help her get her life back. Things take an unexpected turn. Major adult themes. Malora AU.
1. Chapter 1

Like so many times before, Maleficent walked through the crowded, twilight-lit streets of Amsterdam with Diaval, whose arm was outstretched protectively, loyally by her side. The city - or its loud, drunk tourists - had never frightened her, but she saw no harm in keeping her companion close by her side even in the non-social mood she found herself in.

If decisions had been solely hers to make, she would've stayed at their hotel, cuddled up in sheets, with a glass of fine red wine beside her. The never-ending business trips had a way of exhausting her, even though the flight from London hadn't been that long. Airports, people, cabs, city-lights, more people, hotels, bags; _a single-serving life_. As she'd unpacked her bag at the Singel Hotel, she'd sworn she was in for an early night.

Unfortunately, as she was the one who had forced Diaval to fly out with her, she'd given up her right to make decisions. Thinking about it now, it was all too predictable - and so very tiring.

"It's here somewhere...", Diaval mumbled and put his arm around her waist, directing them further towards Korte Niezel.

Maleficent had positively gritted her teeth throughout their walk from the hotel; how had she not seen it coming? The only tourist attraction Diaval was interested in seeing was the sea of red lights - and its women. The further they walked, the more she began regretting what she'd agreed to. Apparel-shops and restaurant-menus had quickly become heavy-draped windows of red and crowds of young men, hovering around vaguely-lit, maroon booths, cheering as they searched through their wallets for anything they could use as payment.

Maleficent couldn't help but glare in disgust at the men who openly leaned on the glass-windows, the thin material being the only thing separating them from their object of pleasure. She drew in a quick breath as she saw an elderly man step out into the narrow alley through a wooden, purple door. His beret hid his shame as Maleficent made eyes with him, but only for a moment. She was well aware that there were eyes on her too; she was in the wrong place.

Had she not been with Diaval, she was certain she would've gotten a few offers herself. Men walking past them, both alone and in groups, seemed to yearn for eye-contact as she felt their gazes burn into her face. Jaw tightly clenched, she let her friend walk her down another street that bathed in glowing, red light, story upon story, coming from the old houses built upon each other.

"Ah, there it is", Diaval sighed happily and pointed at something pink flashing at a distance.

Maleficent's eyes narrowed; they were standing on the right side of the river, and as far as her eye could see, there were red-lit, glassy booths with women grinding inside them. Bridge after bridge, people paraded in and out of the area, their laughter and noises stinging in her ears. This was no place to be at night.

As they descended down Oudezijds Achterburgwal, Maleficent's eye was caught by a man stumbling up some stairs from a booth with its drapes closed, his hands fumbling with the zipper of his jeans. Maleficent stopped dead in her tracks and grabbed Diaval's wrist.

"You've got to be joking", she hissed, nodding towards the man stumbling past them, his face as red as someone's who'd just run a marathon.

"Relax", he smiled, pulling his hand back. "We're just making memories, yeah?"

"I'd like to go back now", she said calmly, her eyes traveling from men gazing at _her_ clevage to a woman on her right, pushing _hers _flat against the glass of her booth.

"10 minutes", Diaval pleaded, holding his hands up in a defensive gesture. "I'll pay for your ticket. Please don't make me go alone, I'll feel like such a pervert."

She raised her brows and chuckled, eyeing his coat. "You _are _a pervert. You could really flash someone with that thing."

He looked down self-consciously and scratched the back of his head, then his eyes travelled to the pink, glowing elephant only a couple of blocks away. "It's right there. I just need some action. And since you won't let me fu -"

"I beg you not to finish that sentence", she hissed as she began walking towards the huge, smiling elephant. "For your own well-being."

"Hmpf", he growled as he hurried after her, careful not to trip on the unevenly-built street.

They finally reached something that could've been a cinema; there was a doorman, apparently checking ID's, in front of a black ticket-booth. Above it all was a wide, pink sign with its world-famous elephant. The name Casa Rosso reflected itself in Maleficent's glassy eyes as she stood and gazed upon the venue, her throat suddenly tight. She'd heard of the place, but what awaited, she did not know.

Diaval exchanged a couple of words in Dutch with the doorman, then nodded towards Maleficent, who was standing a few feet away, hands in the pockets of her Donna Karan-jacket, eyes on the people passing them. At the sound of his voice, she met his gaze, and with a final, deep sigh, she stepped forward towards the entrance.

Diaval was flipping through his wallet for euros when the doorman took a step closer to Maleficent, making her turn her head. He was a heavily-built man, all in black with his head shaved.

"What do you want to see in there?" he asked, his accent stinging in her ears. "Girls?"

Maleficent straightened her posture and pursed her red lips as she looked at him with her heavy-lidded eyes. "Something raw", she replied between her teeth.

He raised a pierced brow and shot a glare at Diaval, who was finally paying for the tickets. "Why raw?" he asked.

Maleficent exhaled slowly and glared at her heels before looking in Diaval's direction. "Because it's the only thing that turns me on", she replied indifferently.

Diaval led her through a narrow, dark hallway until they took a right, entering a huge, old-fashioned cinema. There was no white screen, though; on either side of the black, dim-lit stage was a striptease-pole, beside thick, wine-red drapes. _'Why am I not surprised'_, Maleficent thought as Diaval led her to the seventh row from the stage.

She sank into the surprisingly comfortable red, velvet chair and unzipped her coat as Diaval did the same. There weren't many people in the theatre as it was Thursday-night; a few German students sat in the row behind them, and on the left side of Diaval, across the aisle, was a group of both men- and businesswomen.

"Are you excited?" Diaval whispered, his leg shaking like it always did when he was nervous.

"About what?" she asked. "Leather-dressed hunks without stamina and brunettes smoking cigars between their legs? Yes, I'm absolutely out of my wits."

"Forget it", he mumbled, knowing his excitement was something Maleficent would neither understand nor accept. "I'm going to order us some drinks."

"There are _drinks?_" she asked, a sharp brow raised in suspicion.

Diaval held his hand out and within seconds a skinny, well-dressed man appeared with a tray. Diaval gave him two of his drink-tickets, ordering a beer for himself and a glass of champagne for Maleficent.

"How often do you think they scrub these seats?" she whispered in his ear, but was met by an annoyed snort. She sat back into her chair and was just about to light a cigarette when the dim lighting decreased even more, and an erotic, sensual tune with strong beats began playing.

The lighting on the stage switched to dark maroon as a brunette in killer heels and a black, plastic bikini walked onto the stage, swinging her hips as she walked. Maleficent raised her hand to her eyebrows and covered her face with her palm as their drinks arrived - and the woman on the stage untied the thin strands holding her top in place.

The second Maleficent wrapped her fingers around the glass of champagne, she threw half of the liquid back and hissed between clenched teeth as Diaval shifted in his seat, mesmerized by the tall brunette on stage. Maleficent felt her cheeks burn, both from the alcohol and from the embarrassment of where she found herself.

The drapes closed, and as they opened again the light was olive-green, the beat of the music quickened, followed by echoing moans in the background. Cheeks flushing, Maleficent peeked at the stage; on a moving, round pedestal was a man on his back, taut muscles so hard they must've painted his skin, and on top of him sat a woman, naked on her knees, her head bopping up and down in his lap.

Maleficent looked down again, not because she felt flushed, but because there was nothing erotic in the show everyone else seemed to be following so intently. The movements were rehearsed and mechanic and neither performer's expression was that of pleasure. It felt _fake_, and Maleficent had no use for fake - she had use for raw.

As the drapes closed for a second time, Diaval shot a glare at Maleficent, to see if she was enjoying herself at all, but her head was tilted down and her eyes only shot at the stage for a second or two at a time. Then, the drapes opened, and the light that fell upon her sharp features was turquoise.

Out on stage walked a petite figure with blonde, curly hair braided around her face, and long, slender legs. She was too thin to be a regular, but had curves in the right places and as she raised her chin to gaze at the audience, her azure-blue eyes were filled with innocence and pleading, as if she had no wish to be there, at all. Dressed only in red hot-pants, heels, and a see-through, white top, her hands slowly slid to the hem of the garment as the music slowed down its beat.

Maleficent's eyes grew wide as the blonde stepped closer to the edge of the stage, slender fingers pulling her top over her head, revealing in full her perky, beautifully formed breasts. Her eyes shot up and down between the floor and the lights on her as her fingers sensually dragged over her breasts to the zipper of her hot-pants. When her fingers slid inside, pulling the zipper down, her crystal-blue, teary eyes met Maleficent's emerald, surprised ones.

The brunette leaned forward in her seat, as far as possible until her chin nearly touched the seat in the row in front of her. Eyes on the blonde, her mouth fell agape and she heard Diaval clear his throat.

"What are you - "

"Ssh", she hissed, raising her hand to quiet him. Those slender hips grinding to the music and the blonde hair swaying as she threw her head back. She slid the hot-pants down her thighs, all the way to her ankles and kicked them off in front of the audience, exposing herself completely, yet not a muscle moved on her face. When the beat quickened, she turned her back to the crowd and swayed her hips once more before she spread her legs wide, bent over and covered the floor with her blond tresses. She bent back up and threw a promiscuous glare at the audience before one hand travelled down her front to between her legs and the other slid down her lower back, to her round bottom, spreading her cheeks.

"_Fuck_", Maleficent whispered and brought her hand up to her mouth. "I _know_ her."


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: Aurora's theme is #1 Crush by Garbage, I suggest you listen to it. Reviews, follows & favs are appreciated, as always. x **_

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><p>The following night, against all odds, Maleficent found herself walking the street of Oudezijds Achterburgwal, again – and <em>alone<em>. She kept her head down, the hood of her jacket covering most of her face, but the heels on her feet still received a fair amount of attention. Every now and then, someone walked towards her, looking like they were going to say something, but she tilted her head down and picked up her pace, determined to reach her destination.

A night of tossing and turning in the silky sheets of her bed at the hotel had quickly turned into an agonizing trance of mental images torturing her. After trying to fall asleep for nearly two hours, she'd violently beat the pillow until it exploded. Sitting in a pile of duck feathers, she'd given in, gotten up, fixed her face and quietly slipped out of her room.

What had come over her, she could not explain. Blonde tresses flashed before her eyes whenever she closed them, and after smoking a cigarette in front of her hotel, she'd decided that she was courageous enough to make it to the Red Light District on her own.

The pink contours of the giant elephant lit up her anxious face when she reached the entrance of Casa Rosso. Friday night – and more people than she'd expected. There was a _line_ to the ticket-booth. Her stomach sunk about ten inches when she realized that she'd have to stand there alone, in the group of not-so fine, young gentlemen.

Fortunately, the line moved quickly, and when there were only two young French guys in front of her, she lowered her hood. The doorman from yesterday immediately recognized her, but her expression remained indifferent.

"You are back", he grunted and walked up to her. Unconsciously, she began fidgeting. "Did you find _raw?_" The _r_'s rolled on his tongue far longer than hers.

"Yes", she sighed and pulled her wallet out of her purse. "How much is it?" Since Diaval had paid for her, she didn't know. She'd told him that she was tired. If he, too, was coming to Casa Rosso tonight, the situation would become far more than awkward.

"For you, forty euros", the bald doorman replied, eyeing her purse. "Drink is included."

She nodded but as she was about to step towards the ticket-booth, he moved into her way. Throat tightening, she met his black eyes.

"You are _brave_, yes?" It was more of a statement than a question. "Women don't come alone. There is danger here."

She looked around with a brow raised. "I'm not afraid of a little danger", she replied calmly and continued past him.

Once inside, she knew the way, only this time she sought out a seat in the second row; the _first_ would've been too deviant. The air was smoke-filled and the only free seat she found was between two groups of chuckling youngsters.

The dim lighting became maroon as the erotic music slowly began playing, and Maleficent began fidgeting even more. The eyes of the men on either side of her alternated between her and the stripper on stage, but she kept her eyes down, waiting for the third performance.

Two glasses of champagne and seven performances later, the young blonde still hadn't appeared. Growing impatient, Maleficent glared at the gold watch on her wrist; _1.22 AM_. Pretentious moans and the sound of slick skin meeting more skin echoed in her ears and slowly, impatience turned into disgust.

Fifteen minutes later, the stage became maroon once more, and the same brunette walked out and the group of men on her right got up and left. The one she searched for wasn't coming.

Exhaling a deep breath in pure frustration and disappointment, Maleficent zipped her coat and exited the crowded theatre, careful not to make eye contact with anyone.

When she stepped out into the dark hallway, a duo of two, well-dressed businessmen caught her eye. They walked past her but didn't enter the theatre; instead, they continued down the hall. She shot a glance over her shoulder; the restrooms were upstairs and not in the direction where the men were headed.

'_Oh, what the hell_', she thought, and then hurried after them.

She reached a stairwell and a steady beat reached her ears; base, but it wasn't coming from the theatre. Heels clicking, she descended the stairs, only to be met by a man far more frightening than the foreign doorman at the entrance.

"You're in the wrong place, lady", he said and brushed his tattoo-covered hand through his slick hair.

Maleficent frowned. He was British. "What's in there?" she asked curiously, yet kept herself composed.

The man grinned wickedly, eyeing her from head to toe, and then moved his finger in a come-hither motion. Swallowing, she leaned closer. "Are you looking for work?"

"What?" she blurted out, offended. "No! You know wh – forget it." She turned around to head out, but he grabbed her wrist. Startled, she pulled her arm away.

"It's fifty if you want to take a look, lovely", he whispered and looked around, as if he was worried about someone hearing them.

"I already paid upstairs, that's –"

"_That_ was for the show", he cut in and his expression became rather stern. "Fifty, or sod off."

Without saying a word, she shoved an orange note into his hand and strode past him.

Suddenly, she found herself in a large space, looking very much like a cabaret. In the middle was a stage in the form of a cube, with several poles and flashing, red lights. On the floor, there were illuminated paths to each and every table – tables, which were almost full.

Her heart was racing too hard. Luckily, the area itself was rather dim, and she couldn't tell whether or not she was being stared at. Pulling herself together, she took a couple of steps forward, searching for an empty seat somewhere.

Through the crowd of drinks, suits, and men with too much money to spend, she found her way to a small table, not too far from the stage. She eyed the women there; tall, eastern looking, in fuck-me heels and black pearl-thongs. She judged them mentally as she sat down and slipped out of her coat.

In no time, a waitress, looking very much like the women on stage, appeared before her with a tray, asking if she could get her anything. Strangely unsettled, Maleficent glared at her bare chest and then ordered a third glass of champagne – and got a wink in return.

'_You're insane_', she thought to herself when the fizzy liquid reached her throat. Instead of looking at the performers, she eyed her surroundings. Ties, briefcases, rolls of notes and empty glasses everywhere, the air so thick she could barely breathe normally. Maybe she was supposed to feel light-headed in here. Maybe it would help her relax.

When a familiar tune penetrated the cheering, drunk crowd, Maleficent's eyes returned to the stage. The brunettes scattered, leaving room for someone else. The spotlight turned from red to rosy and Maleficent straightened up in her seat – and was met by sapphire blue orbs. Gasping, her hand covered her mouth as it dawned on her who she was looking at.

The whistling, cheering audience went wild as the tall blonde walked up to the edge of the stage. Nearly naked to begin with, she slowly began undoing the ties of her leather-corset, her breasts peaking gloriously over its hem. Entranced, Maleficent stared with her lips parted; she was in no state to comprehend that the raunchy, sexy girl on stage was the same innocent one she'd known long ago.

The blonde on stage walked up to one of the poles and bent over, grinding the pole against her bare, firm behind. Notes flew onto the stage, and she unlaced her corset completely. The garment fell to the floor, and she brought her hands up to her breasts, cupping them as she bit her lip.

Maleficent didn't know whether she wanted to leave or stay. This was what she'd come for. Now, though, it was far bolder than she'd expected, and she found herself somewhere between embarrassed and aroused. Crossing her legs, she took another sip of her drink as the blonde went down on all fours and crawled to the edge of the stage. The illuminated light made her golden hair shine brighter than the stars themselves.

The blonde crept dangerously close to a few men sitting at the table closest to her, but she stayed in safety and simply threw her head back, making her blonde tresses fall around her rosy face like a halo. The image made Maleficent's breath hitch; there was nothing holy about this place.

The blonde's breasts and stomach were gleaming from sweat. She flipped herself onto her back and thrust her hips upwards, earning high-pitched cheers from the men surrounding her. Maleficent stayed silent, breathing heavily.

At last, the lights intensified to turquoise and made the girl glow where she sat. She writhed, eyes closed and mouth agape in a silent moan. She moved back onto all fours, facing away from the public, and began pulling her thong off with one hand. The volume grew intensely but everything else became background noise as Maleficent stared at the petite figure on stage. When the thong was down to her knees, she got up and faced the public, holding her head high. There was a curious smile on her lips, but her eyes were blank. She stepped out of the thin piece of clothing and leaned back onto one arm with her legs spread. Thrusting her hips forward in Maleficent's direction, she gave the woman a quick glimpse of the darker flesh between her legs.

And then the lights around the stage went out. Notes continued flying onto it, and Maleficent became uncomfortably aware of the warmth between her own legs. She got up and elbowed her way through the whistling, howling crowd.

When the cool night's air entered her lungs, she gasped out loud and looked around herself in confusion. What in the world had gotten into her? She wasn't here to gawk at the girl's body, and still, she'd felt herself get worked up whilst watching her. Fingers shook as they reached into a jacket pocket to pull out a pack of cigarettes.

"You survived."

Maleficent turned around to find the kinder of the two doormen watching her from only a few feet away. She exhaled slowly and pressed her eyes shut, shaking her head. "This place is poisonous."

He lit a cigarette of his own. "And yet, you come back. Who is it you look for?"

She glared at him, annoyed that he knew exactly what she was up to. Or maybe it was obvious? Either way, she'd been in that place for too long to just return to her hotel room, empty handed. "Listen", she began, trying to force a smile. "The blonde downstairs…"

He simply smoked, eyes firmly on hers.

"What, um – at what time does she get off?" As soon as she uttered the words, she imagined him interpreting them in the wrong way, but there was no snotty reply. He looked down at his black shoes, and then back up at her. She sighed and pulled another note out of her pocket. Walking up to him, she gave him fifty euros and titled her head to the side. "I just want to speak with her for a moment. It won't matter to you. _Please._ It's important."

His black eyes bore into hers, but finally the corner of his mouth twitched. "After four."

She glared at her watch. _3.46 AM_. She flipped her burning cigarette onto the ground and tilted her head back to look at the starry sky. She'd already been in this hellhole close to three hours. She could handle one more.


	3. Chapter 3

An hour and nineteen minutes later, Maleficent decided that this was the day she was going to let go of her pride and simply admit that _standing in heels_ was the most lethal weapon she'd ever come across. Switching from foot to foot in a pile of burnt cigarettes, she glared at her clock every five minutes, and then looked at the entrance of Casa Rosso. She'd considered waiting inside, but funny enough, she felt more comfortable just outside, with the doorman only a few feet away.

He'd been throwing her glances for a while now, apparently weighting whether or not he should tell her to go home. But whenever he'd looked, she'd held her chin high, showing herself as strong and patient.

The truth was sadly completely different; her teeth were clacking by now, she could swear the insides of her shoes were filled with blood and worst of all; she only had two cigarettes left. _'You make your own bed'_, she thought to herself whenever the thought of giving in knocked on the door to her mind.

A blonde woman and a heavy man in a suit walked out of the theatre, and Maleficent felt her heart stop. She took one step closer, but quickly realized that the woman was too tall to be the one she was expecting. They turned away from her and began their walk, either home or to a hotel, and once again, she exhaled deeply and pressed her eyes shut. _'Come on already."_

As if her prayer had been heard, finally, a familiar looking figure walked out of the theatre and stopped next to the doorman, who smiled at her and offered her his lighter. Her long, curly blond hair covered half of her gracious face, and she looked incredibly relaxed. Giggling, she inhaled deeply and threw her head back when she exhaled; euphoria, from her shift finally being over.

Maleficent hadn't even realized that she'd unconsciously backed away from the theatre. Her back suddenly hit the railing separating her from the river flooding between the two heavily crowded streets, and she turned to face the dark water, shaking. She was real. Fully dressed and talking. _She was real_. Maleficent brought a hand up to her forehead and rubbed it as she felt herself get cold feet, or colder than they already were. Peeking over her shoulder, she found the blonde still talking to the bald doorman, shaking her hips a bit, as if she was portraying some sort of a wild dance. Maleficent bit her lip as her eyes narrowed, focusing on the swaying hips that were clothed in tight shorts of denim. She was _so_ young and vibrant.

Out of nowhere, the girl turned her heel and began walking down the street, and Maleficent peeked over her other shoulder to see where she was going. She silently cursed the doorman, but then again, she was thankful that he hadn't given her away. Quickly, she realized that the girl was heading towards the bridge, away from the city center. She walked with her head high, ignoring the looks she received from only having walked a few feet. Groaning, Maleficent let go of the railing and hurried off after the girl, every step informing her of her dying feet.

Walking behind the blonde, Maleficent managed to get a better look at her. She was wearing a hooded leather-jacket together with a thick, brown, woolen scarf, tied around her hair as well. Under her shorts she wore ripped, black stay-ups, the edges of them barely visible under the shorts. Maleficent had to hand it to her; she was bold, this one, walking through the city alone like that.

Continuing down, and then turning left into the narrow alley of Koestraat, the blonde picked up her pace as soon as the crowds were left behind, and all that was ahead of her was a sea of velvet booths, high, draped windows and dark figures. Maleficent noticed that the girl hadn't turned her head once. Her blonde hair swayed in the wind, releasing itself from the scarf as she went on. On her feet, she wore boots with flats and clearly had no trouble walking, as Maleficent almost needed to run to keep up with her.

When they'd walked the whole street and the opening of Kloveniersburgwal and its river revealed themselves, the brunette decided that she couldn't keep running after the girl anymore.

"Excuse me", Maleficent blurted out, her voice far more high-pitched than she'd expected. Embarrassed, she stopped in her tracks and waited.

The blonde stopped as well, and then slowly turned around. Her perfect, blue eyes were reflecting the lights of the lanterns along the river. She met Maleficent's gaze steadily, and then looked behind herself, as if to see if the woman had been shouting at someone else instead. Realizing that the square was almost empty, she looked back at Maleficent and raised her fair brows.

"Are you lost?" she laughed, pointing at the street-sign.

Maleficent sighed in relief. The blonde was British, so she herself was not mistaken. Straightening herself up, whilst cursing her shoes, she attempted to smile at the blonde as she took a few steps closer to her. "No, I'm not", she replied softly, studying the girl. She didn't seem afraid, more… indifferent.

"Right", the girl muttered, then tilted her head to the side. "What do you want then?"

A strange sensation washed over her; there were butterflies in her stomach. She let out a nervous laugh, and then brushed her hand through her hair. "I, uh… I wish to talk to you."

The blonde shrugged her shoulders and sighed, irritated. "Sure you do. Tell you what; why don't we go for a Big Mac? It's only five in the morning, isn't it?" Sarcasm penetrated her words; she turned her heel and continued her walk, not bothering to look at the woman.

"I saw you in there!" Maleficent shouted and stepped forward. Now, she realized that her face had been in the shadows; the lanterns lit her up, making her momentarily shut her eyes.

That got the girl's attention. She put her hands in her pockets and turned back around. Facing the woman, her expression was suddenly different. She gaped at Maleficent, as if this was the first time she truly saw the smoldering, emerald orbs looking at her. And then, she found the cheekbones, on which her eyes lingered far longer than allowed. Maleficent saw the girl's eyes travel down her body and up again, and then she saw her swallow. _Swallow_.

"You… you did?" the blonde stammered. Her expression was hesitant but contained traces of excitement.

Maleficent nodded, happy that she finally had the girl's full attention.

"What in the world were_ you _doing there?" She eyed the brunette's clothes with a look of suspicion and disbelief.

Maleficent's mind went blank for a second, before she realized that she very well could tell the girl the truth. "I'm in town on a business trip. My friend wanted to go to Casa Rosso, so… Well, I went with him. We went together."

"Hmm." She pursed her lips as she nodded. "Where's your friend _now?_"

"What?" Maleficent realized that she'd dug herself a hole by being honest. "Oh, _him_, he's at the hotel. That was - uh - we went yesterday, together."

The girl chuckled and brought her slender fingers up to her bottom lip. "Sure. And tonight you just, what, came back on your own? A woman like you in De Wallen, alone? Oh, please."

"I wanted to see you", Maleficent said faster than she'd meant to. Her throat was annoyingly tight and she was sure her pulse was hitting new levels as she spoke. The blonde raised her eyebrows even more, clearly confused. Suddenly, she felt ashamed that she knew what hid underneath the girl's clothes, like she had no right to know. "I'm sorry, that came out wrong… What's your name?"

She glared at her feet before answering. "Sissy."

Maleficent grinned. They both knew that she was lying, but deciding to let her have it _her_ way, Maleficent looked the girl up and down. "I know your father."

The blonde's face became serious, but quickly turned into an image of amusement and she chuckled while she shook her head. "That's really clever of you, Miss. You _know_ my father. Well, if you know him, do tell him to sod off, yeah?" Her low chuckle became a pure, sarcastic laugh, and she shut her eyes, holding her hands up. "I give up. You're quite something. Any other day I'd love to play along, but I really am freezing, so… Goodbye."

The petite girl pulled her hood over her scarf and hair, hiding herself, and then turned towards the bridge nearby. Maleficent gasped in panic; she simply couldn't let her go now.

"Aurora", she said softly, letting the name linger on her tongue.

As if she'd turned to stone, the girl stopped and blankly stared in front of her, the brunette's gaze burning into her back. Frowning, she turned back around, only to find the stranger wearing an insecure, careful smile.

"What did you call me?" she whispered.

Maleficent sighed and felt fear creeping up her neck. The girl was going to run, but she had to try. "Aurora, please remember."

She frowned again and opened her mouth to say something nasty when her eyes suddenly grew wide and she let out a quick gasp. And then, Maleficent knew what memory she was reliving; she was seeing them talking over glasses of expensive champagne, in a crowded hall, full of people and beautifully wrapped presents. She was seeing them walking in her father's gorgeous rose garden, picking up fallen, pink rosebuds and laughing about politics and nonsense. And then, she was seeing them dancing to the slow beat of the music, their dresses as different as possible, clear contrasts, yet so easily perfect together. And then, she was _feeling_ the tension between them; fingertips on warm skin and hungry, sensual looks.

A flicker of hope lit itself in Maleficent's chest when the girl's expression went from surprised to calm. She wanted to go to her; to tell her that she could take her away from this place, but something stopped her; the paralyzing fear of rejection.

The girl - _Aurora_ - closed her eyes for a few seconds, and when she opened them again, her azure diamonds were surrounded by tears. "Go home, Maleficent", she whispered quietly, yet Maleficent heard her and felt her heart sink at those words. "This place wasn't made for you."

With her tone as strong as ever, the girl threw one last look at the beautiful ghost of her past who had followed her, before walking off and disappearing into the cold, dark night.


	4. Chapter 4

**_Yo! Updates are taking a while due to massive overload of school & work. Still, here you go! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, followed & faved, I appreciate it so keep it up. That, if anything, keeps me inspired. xx - D._ **

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><p>Early mornings had never been Aurora's strongest suit; if possible, she preferred to sleep late and then stay up all through the night. It was a habit she'd inherited from her late mother and by the time she'd grown up, there'd been no reason to change it.<p>

Today, as always, the glowing afternoon sun had woken her up when it had peeked in through her undrawn curtains. Yawning and still freezing from the night before, she'd forced herself up and put on the same rugs as yesterday. They'd lain on the floor by the bed, in a messy pile – just like her thoughts about the earlier night.

Descending the stairs from her small studio apartment, she couldn't help but recall every little detail about the stranger – or the woman she'd known once upon a time. She exited her building and was met by a cool, easy breeze. Her blond curls took flight and with heavy steps, she began walking down to street to her favorite coffee shop.

Bright irises of emerald and hazel kept flashing before her sapphire ones as she drank her coffee. The owner of the little shop always saved her a seat by the window so that she could look at the passing people as she enjoyed the liquid heat that would eventually wake her up properly. Aurora's eyes fixed on scarves and bags when gazing through the window, but her mind had stayed with the mysterious woman.

Sighing, Aurora rubbed her tired eyes and swallowed another sip of her cappuccino. She _remembered_. A long time ago, she'd spent an evening – her eighteenth birthday – with the woman. It had only been a short moment in the infinity of time, but for Aurora, that night had mattered, as she now recalled how she'd felt back then.

Her father had invited some of his associates to celebrate his firstborn daughter's important day, and Aurora remembered herself being utterly irritated by the fact that her home was full of people she didn't even know, and really didn't want there. When the crowds had parted, she'd found blazing, green eyes studying her from a distance. Surprised that the woman had held her gaze, she'd walked up to her.

"_You're rather rude", Aurora spoke over her glass of wine, held by trembling fingers. "Staring at me like that." _

_The brunette, who was probably in her late twenties or early thirties, held her head high and looked down at the birthday-girl. "You looked rather miserable over there", she said softly and one of her brows edged itself upwards. "Are you not satisfied with your party?" _

_Aurora felt herself shrink even more, even though she was only half a head shorter than the woman in front of her. She brushed the smooth silk of her lavender, tailored dress, and then glared at the one the brunette was wearing; black, to match the thickness of her eyelashes. Slim and sharp, just like her cheekbones. She felt herself blush and quickly looked around, pretending not to be uncomfortable. "I don't know these people." She turned to look at the woman. "I don't know you." _

_The brunette chuckled softly and looked over Aurora's blond tresses, at the crowds of people. "I don't know these people either." She moved her glass of champagne from her right hand to her left, and then extended the first one. "I'm Maleficent." _

"_Are you dangerous?" Aurora blurted out childishly before she could stop herself. She let go of the woman's hand, embarrassed. _

_The brunette's laughter bubbled up and she looked around, confused. "Why?" _

"_Your name means dangerous or harmful", Aurora answered, secretly proud that she knew the meaning of the name, or the word. _

"_I see", Maleficent whispered, clearly amused. She smiled wickedly and leaned forward, towards Aurora, and out of nowhere, the girl leaned in a bit as well. "Can I tell you a secret?" _

_Aurora nodded slightly, holding her breath. The situation was incredibly… peculiar. _

"_I'm as soft as a marshmallow", Maleficent purred into the girl's ear. "Don't let the cheekbones fool you, Sunrise." _

And now, that same captivating, mysterious woman was there, close to her. Aurora left the coffee shop in a rush and hurried further towards the city center, heading for De Wallen. Walking, she barely looked in front of herself and bumped into several elbows on the way. The sun had set, darkness had conquered the sky, and Maleficent had conquered her strength.

When Aurora reached Koestraat and continued towards Odjieskis Achterburgwal, she bit her lip hard and forced Maleficent out of her thoughts. It had to be a _coincidence_. It didn't mean anything, necessarily. The woman had recognized her and been shocked, and that was the end of it.

What bothered Aurora the most was the fact that when Maleficent had said that she'd seen her performance, she'd immediately been gripped by _shame_, and she had never felt ashamed over what she did for a living, now. For some reason, imagining the tall and intriguing woman watching her strip all of her clothes off made her skin crawl and cheeks burn. She felt filthy, and she couldn't afford to feel that way; it was already 7.31 PM, and her first show in the theater would be in an hour.

The routine she performed every night was always the same; she'd sit in front of the mirror, in the dressing-room, staring at her reflection for a good ten minutes before doing her make-up. Tonight, however, she didn't stare at all, and then forced all her contradicting feelings away. Her hands were heavy when she reached into her bag and took out her makeup. Her face looked paler than usual, and she watched herself trace her cheeks and collarbones with cold fingertips.

After half an hour of doing her hair and powdering her cheeks, she undressed and put on her outfit; red hot-pants and a sheer top. She knew very well that it was see-through, but it had never bothered her before. Her stomach turned at the thought of the brunette being there, _tonight_, watching her again. But then, that was a ridiculous idea. Aurora had behaved so badly the night before; why would she even come?

A knock on the door of the dressing-room informed her that she only had five minutes left before her turn. Humming, she put on her heels and threw her head back, making her hair all messy and fluffy. She colored her lips red and then hurried out.

When she entered the stage, a flow of calmness took over her, and despite the cheering audience and the lights that were so bright she couldn't even see, she felt confident. _Grind_. It was pointless to try and seek out someone in the audience; the white glow on the stage made everything else disappear. She threw glances where she imagined people sitting – after all, her job was not to look but to please. _Strip_. Her tiny hands fondled her shirt and then smoothly pulled it over her head, and immediately her nipples hardened from the air around her.

_Grind_. It wasn't like this was the place where she wanted to be forever, but after her father had disowned her, she hadn't known what else to do. A friend had brought her to Amsterdam, and then, suddenly, there had been all this money she could make if she'd only agree to getting rid of her dignity. In the end, it hadn't even been that hard. After six months, she'd begun enjoying what she did, no matter how sick her father would think it was.

_Fondle_. Her hands travelled up her taut stomach to cup her breasts as she bent forward, giving the audience a nice view of her pressed-together cleavage. _Remove_. Slowly, the red hot-pants slid down her thighs and she turned around to give the crowd a good look at her firm, round bottom. Shamelessly, her hand slid between her own legs. _Bend over_. She closed her eyes as she felt her hair cover the floor where she was standing.

When her fingers slid from her entrance to her bare lips, she gasped out loud and pressed her eyes shut even harder.

It was only a job. Or so she told herself. There was nothing wrong with enjoying it. One day, she'd have enough money to forget what she had done – what she was doing – at this very moment. But when it came to it, she had nowhere better to be, right now.

After four hours of pushing the same rotating routine, over and over, Aurora collapsed into the dressing-room and sunk into one of the red, leather chairs. Behind her, a couple of brunettes in thongs spoke Dutch and glared at her, but things like that belonged on the list of things Aurora didn't care about. Her azure eyes looked bloodshot and she desperately craved a cigarette.

She'd just changed into the tight leather corset she was supposed to wear whenever performing at the club when the door to the dressing room opened, and Rhys, the British guy who usually stood guard by the entrance to the club, walked in. His eyes travelled from the brunettes to Aurora, and then he shook his head.

"Not tonight, love", he mumbled, pointing at her outfit.

Aurora frowned and took a look at herself in the mirror. She looked ravishing. "Why not?"

"Private party", Rhys mumbled and stuck some snuff into his mouth, between his teeth and the inside of his cheek.

Aurora took five seconds to calm herself and then met Rhys with a stern, solid expression. "You know I don't do that."

He shrugged his shoulders and glared at his watch. "I don't care, Freckles. Just change into something a bit more girly, yeah?" He pointed at one of the dresses hanging by the hooks opposite the mirror Aurora was watching herself in. "_That_ one will work." Aurora turned around and stared at the white, short dress that hung behind her. It, too, was close to see-through, with spaghetti straps and a zipper in the back. "The Circle, five minutes."

The Circle was one of the private rooms in the back of the club, reserved for men who were willing to pay a lot of money for something no one else got to see so up-close. Aurora had never been inside of it, but she'd heard the other girls talking about it. Apparently, there was a pole in the middle of the round room, which was padded with cushions and even had a private bar, available as long as the client paid enough.

The reason why Aurora felt hesitant was merely the fact that her only companion would be a camera, hidden somewhere in the room. She knew that there was always someone watching, since no matter how much the client paid, he was never allowed to touch the girl performing for him. Still, she'd heard of some clients who hadn't fully understood the rules.

Rhys was waiting for her outside the staff entrance to The Circle, and he smirked when he saw how nicely the dress hugged Aurora's slender form. She felt herself blush.

"You'll be fine", he whispered, and then turned the handle, opening the door for her.

Aurora slid inside and was met by a slow, steady beat. It was the same song that played whenever she was performing in the club, her _Crush_. In only a few seconds, the familiar tune brought her self-reliance back and she brushed her hands through her hair before her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting and she managed to make out the contours of someone sitting on a couple of cushions.

Suddenly, it dawned on her who she was staring at, and her heart twisted in her chest.

Maleficent leaned her elbows onto her knees and moved her upper body forward, out of the shadows. She tilted her head to the side and looked the girl up and down, judging her appearance. Then, she smiled. "Hello, Aurora", she whispered softly.


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: Sorry it's taking a bit, drowning in BA exams and my thesis, but hey, have a chapter that's a bit longer this time! PS. Feedback is always appreciated. Like, always, like how Snape says it in HP. It's THAT much appreciated. xx - D. **_

It was no secret to either of them that the situation was incredibly peculiar, but as Maleficent eyed Aurora from head to toes, she couldn't help but bite back a groan. Everything about the girl was unbelievably distracting, and momentarily she found herself losing sight of why she was really there in the first place. As her eyes travelled from the hem of Aurora's dress to the golden locks of her hair, she saw the girl flinch; was she going to make a run for it?

Oddly enough, Aurora stayed put. Any hesitation she'd felt upon seeing her disappeared quickly - that much Maleficent noticed. The blonde's glare was a mixture of surprise and annoyance, and Maleficent could understand from where both of those feelings originated; she probably thought she was stalking her by now. Maleficent let out a sigh and then prepared to speak, but Aurora beat her to it.

"You really are rather rude", Aurora hissed between clenched teeth as she took a couple of steps forward into the circle-formed room.

Maleficent's mind immediately shot back to the first time she'd ever seen the girl. _"You're rather rude, staring at me like that."_ The memory of the girl, young and sweet, bored at her own birthday-celebration and desperately seeking an understanding soul wrenched inside Maleficent heavily. Still, this was _not_ the same girl. _This_ girl didn't need anyone's approval, nor did she shrink under Maleficent's gaze, this time.

The blonde was clearly annoyed by Maleficent's lack of apologies and embarrassment and thereby pushed on, harder. "I can't understand how you possibly think it's all right to show up here. I'm working, in case you didn't know that."

A small chuckle escaped Maleficent's throat as she glared at the blonde's dress, again. She, too, had changed from the night before; she no longer felt awkward chasing after the girl and felt no need to explain her actions either: they should, by now, have been rather obvious since Aurora was no idiot. She straightened herself up and leaned backwards into the soft pillows of the couch that circled the entire room. "I am indeed aware of it. It is rather hard not to notice, isn't it?"

Aurora blushed. Looking like she was gathering up some courage, she took a few steps forward again, leaving only a few feet between them. "This room is for customers, so… _What_ are you doing here, exactly?" She crossed her arms over her chest but sounded honestly curious.

_'What a sudden change'_, Maleficent thought to herself. Pursing her lips and mimicking Aurora's move, she crossed her arms as well and looked the blonde straight in the eye. "I want to speak with you."

Aurora shrugged her shoulders. "I don't want to talk. I know what you're going to say. So, unless -"

"Very well, then", Maleficent cut in and dipped her fingers into her bag. She'd known it would come to this. When she'd spoken to Aurora by the bridge and told her that she'd seen her performance, she'd seen the look in the blonde's eyes; _shame_, or so she'd hoped. A part of her hated taking the low road, but if getting Aurora to realize the trouble she was in could only be done by making her feel cheap, then that was how things would proceed. She opened her wallet and pulled out a pack of notes, and then placed them on the soft surface next to her.

Aurora's eyes widened. There were 300 euros next to Maleficent's leather-covered leg, for her.

For a few moments, neither spoke nor moved. The only thing close to alive was the erotic, light music in the background, and Maleficent waited for the girl's response, nervous.

"What's that for?" Aurora whispered, nodding towards the notes.

"Well…", Maleficent began and leaned slightly onto one of her elbows. "Since you don't want to talk, then do what you were supposed to do. _I'll_ talk, all _you_have to do is listen and… Whatever comes to you _naturally_."

Aurora flinched at that last word and bit her lower lip. Maleficent smiled; she was challenging her. It was quite easy; if Aurora refused to perform, Maleficent would have leverage to claim she was only kidding herself. If Aurora performed, at the end of the session she'd feel so ashamed she'd have no choice but to quit. The brunette hoped that manipulating the blonde wouldn't be a challenge in itself; the circumstances were already far too absurd for her taste.

The minute the song changed, Aurora straightened her back and momentarily closed her eyes. Then, smoothly, she moved in front of Maleficent and got down on her knees. If Maleficent hadn't met the girl before, she could've sworn she did so shamelessly, but there was an edge to the girl's brow, indicating that the situation was far more embarrassing than she revealed it to be.

Aurora reached for the zipper of her dress, undid it, and slipped the dress over her shoulders, revealing her turquoise, silken bra and sharp collarbones. Maleficent focused on keeping a stern expression; she needed to look at the girl like she was _judging_ her. Inside, Maleficent began feeling uneasy and fought the urge to simply ask Aurora to leave this life behind her. She inhaled sharply when the blonde put her hands on her knees. Softly, she pushed them apart and moved in between them, swinging her hips a bit and pressing her cleavage together whilst staring into the emerald orbs with her sapphire ones.

The small hands slid further up Maleficent's thighs until they reached her hips, and Aurora courageously leaned her face towards the brunette's, leaving only inches between them. Maleficent smelled her sticky perfume and the hint of sweat, together with something sweet, and tried her best not to lower her eyes to the curves before her, but she found it hard to hold a steady gaze. When Aurora moved her face to the side of her cheek, she exhaled slowly and closed her eyes momentarily; she was too _close_, just like those years ago.

"You don't have to comment on anything I have to say", Maleficent began. Her throat was unusually dry. Aurora's nails dug into her pants at her waist. "I know about the dispute between you and your father. I know he disowned you for not wanting to do as he pleased, and -" She was cut off when Aurora got up in one swift movement, and then let the dress fall from her form. Maleficent choked on her own words when she saw the fishnet-stockings that licked Aurora's slender legs. Stepping out of the dress, Aurora moved towards the pole in the center of the room.

"What I meant to say was…", Maleficent continued as Aurora rubbed her bottom against the pole. "I don't agree with what your father did, but I think this is a rather extreme road to take. When I met you before, you were lovely. You…" Aurora turned around and pressed the pole between her breasts. Apparently, if she was going to hit rock bottom, she would do so head-on. "This isn't you. This isn't the right way to make a living. You are smart and you are young."

Aurora seemed to be ignoring her words. She slid down the pole and spread her legs around it, swinging her head back, making her hair look like a wave of gold. She avoided the brunette's eyes and focused on her own heels, just to have _somewhere_ to look, Maleficent thought.

"I'm here because I want to offer you a way out of this", Maleficent continued, finding that she momentarily rather looked at the floor than at Aurora. It was all just too distracting; her exposed skin, her beautiful curves and rosy cheeks, so utterly sensual and appealing. She understood why so many men came to see her. "I want you to come back to London with me. To start over. You won't have to do this… Display yourself, anymore."

That seemed to get Aurora's attention. She jerked still and stared into nothing in front of her, but quickly threw her head back and continued swinging around the pole, arching her back and pressing her chest forward. Maleficent's eyes narrowed; she'd hit home. Now it was only a matter of hitting even further home. Sighing whilst trying not to look at anything but Aurora's eyes, she sat up straight and stared the girl down.

"Aurora", she began, and the girl looked up. "Come here."

Aurora stilled where she stood, then let go of the pole and walked up to the brunette, but stayed put in front of her. Finally, Maleficent allowed herself to look at the blonde properly. Slowly, she raised a hand, meaning to brush the girl's arm, but Aurora took a step back and shook her head.

"You can't touch", she whispered and glared upwards. "There's a camera up there."

Maleficent chuckled. The British man at the door had put a lot of weight on the fact that in the Circle, one could do as one wanted, as long as one paid enough. Aurora refusing to be touched was merely due to her own awkwardness and not the rules of the club, and they both knew it. Maleficent let her tongue linger between her teeth, then flipped her hand, as if she magically tried to discard Aurora's clothes. "Fine. Take it off, then."

Aurora's eyes widened clearly and she let out a quick gasp. "What?"

Maleficent nodded towards Aurora's remaining clothing. "Take it off. All of it."_'Please be smart. Don't make me do this.' _

Half a minute went by, during which Maleficent regretted her words, but it wasn't in her character to excuse herself. Then, Aurora's hands travelled to the straps of her bra, and she slowly pulled them down, then unclasped the whole thing from behind. It fell to the floor easily, revealing her completely. Maleficent had already seen her - and felt her cheeks aflame before - but she allowed herself to look down, studying the roundness of Aurora's beautiful breasts. She felt incredibly warm and hoped it didn't show on her face. Then, everything went _back_. Aurora shrunk before her, just like before, her cheeks red from embarrassment, and she fidgeted where she stood.

"Did you not hear me?" Maleficent asked arrogantly and tapped on the notes next to her, pointing out that she had paid for a show. "_All of it_."

Aurora's chest heaved as she breathed hard, her fingers creeping to the edge of her panties, but her movements stopped there. Her lower lip began trembling, only slightly but enough for Maleficent to notice, and her heart broke a little bit inside of her. Still, she kept her face firm, knowing there was no other way, but it didn't stop her from feeling disgusted with herself.

"Please", Aurora whispered, voice broken. She was clutching what remained of her clothing, and pleading the older woman with her eyes.

"You don't need to do this", Maleficent whispered, leaning forward onto her elbows. Aurora was almost shaking now; she had pressed her eyes shut and lowered her chin, defeated. One of her arms came up to cover her breasts. "You clearly don't want to do this, so leave. Come home with me."

Aurora let out a sob and bent down to fetch her dress. She then pressed it to her chest and looked at the older woman through tear-filled eyes. "Why the hell do you even care? We met _once_. Why are you doing this? I was _fine_, there was no need to walk in here and make me feel like shit."

Maleficent shook her head. Aurora was brave, there was no doubt about that. "You feel like shit because this is a shitty thing to be doing. I care because you were such a strong soul. I can't pretend that I never saw you here. I did, and I need to take you home. If you hate it there, then you can do as you please later. I'll deal with your father, there's no need to worry about him." With that, Maleficent grabbed her purse and coat and got up, leaving the notes on the couch and making Aurora step back a bit. She glared at the dress that the girl was holding so closely, like a lifeline, to her heaving chest. Sighing, Maleficent took out a card from her pocket and handed it over to Aurora, who took it with trembling fingers. "Meet me there tomorrow at noon, and bring your passport, together with anything essential. I'll take care of the rest." With that, she walked past Aurora, leaving her clutching the note.

"Aurora", Maleficent said softly before opening the door, content and pleased with her completed mission. "I don't waste my time on people who don't deserve it. Remember that. You'll do well to show up tomorrow. I trust you to be that smart."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:_ Hello, I am not dead. Still here, alive and kicking. Here, have an update! And leave reviews, the Malora fandom is slowly dying and we need to keep it up! xx _**

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><p>Aurora clenched her jaw and squeezed the handles of her seat as she felt the aircraft take off and slowly begin its climb upwards. She hated flying, always had. If she was forced to fly, she always demanded a window-seat; seeing where she was, even though it might've been thirty-thousand feet in the air, calmed her down as much as it could without being the result of heavy anti-anxiety medication.<p>

Sighing, she leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. It was no lie that the air inside airplanes was intolerably thick, but it didn't stop her from smelling her companion's - or capturer's - sweet perfume. Still, she daren't look.

The last few hours had indeed been some of the strangest of all of Aurora's life; she'd met Maleficent at a café at the train station in Amsterdam. There, she'd stood, all dressed in black, eyes serious and judgmental, or so Aurora had thought. Upon her arrival, Aurora hadn't brought anything but one suitcase of clothes and personal belongings. It all seemed so absurd. It hadn't even hurt when she'd left her apartment, knowing she wasn't coming back, but at the same time thinking that everything that was happening had to be some kind of a huge joke.

But no, there she'd been. That tall, elegant creature who simply made Aurora's skin tingle, like she was naked, walking through rain of soft snowflakes. There'd been a faint smile on her lips upon seeing Aurora in her leather-jacket, pulling her bag, but that had been it. Maleficent had handed her a train ticket and simply commanded her to follow, informing her that her business companion would be joining them at the airport.

As for the train ride, it had been one of the most awkward ones ever. Aurora had constantly been fidgeting in her seat, alternating between looking out the window and looking at Maleficent, whose eyes had been fixated on her phone the whole time, like Aurora wasn't even there. Her heart had curled into a tight little ball inside her chest whenever she'd looked at Maleficent without her giving any indication of even noticing the girl's presence.

Things had changed once they'd arrived at the airport. A handsome man, also dressed all in black, with messy, black hair and piercing eyes, yet the warmest of smiles, had greeted them next to the check-in desk. He'd nonchalantly shaken Aurora's hand while Maleficent had cleared them both. Aurora very much appreciated the fact that the man, Diaval, hadn't asked any questions about why she was there - she figured Maleficent had been short-worded and simply explained the necessary facts. She'd liked Diaval right away, his comforting, kind smile and scruffy appearance, although she found it strange that Maleficent was traveling with a man like him. It just didn't fit, but then again, Maleficent was no ordinary woman.

"How long until we're in London?" Aurora blurted out before she could stop herself. She looked to the side, at Maleficent's light skin and piercing cheekbones, but the woman kept her gaze firmly on her phone just like before. When she remained indifferent, Aurora turned to face the window.

"Less than an hour", Maleficent replied softly, without looking at the girl. "Did you not fly this very route when you left home?"

Aurora bit her lower lip and stared at the beautiful sea beneath them without really seeing it, as her mind worked on finding the right words. "I took the tunnel to Paris and then just went on from there. Amsterdam just, kind of, happened."

"Yes, I'm _sure_", Maleficent mumbled and opened her bag. She pulled out a black folder and leaned back in her seat, then pulled out a pair of black-framed glasses from her pocket.

Aurora stared as she put the glasses on and sunk into whatever it was that she felt the need to read instead of talking to the person sitting next to her. Diaval had been kind enough to switch seats; he was sitting on the opposite side of the aisle, but to be perfectly honest, Aurora would much rather have been sitting beside him right now. She couldn't quite comprehend Maleficent's silence; she was the one who had sought her out, persuaded her to come home, even paid for the flight, and now she was as cold as stone? Was she angry with her? Or disgusted? That last thought made Aurora choke and she coughed into her hand, embarrassed.

"Are you ill?" Maleficent asked without looking up.

Aurora took a deep breath and looked at her knees. She felt embarrassed, still. The memories from last night crept up her neck like an invisible cloak of thorns, and out of instinct she felt the need to cover herself, then realized she was completely dressed. "No, it's the air. Are you - I mean, are you angry?" She regretted asking as soon as the words left her lips, and she mentally slapped herself. That was not the right way to strike up a conversation.

Maleficent looked up from her file, but instead of turning to meet Aurora's gaze she kept her eyes on the back of the seat in front of her. Aurora saw her clench her jaw; her cheekbones momentarily sharpened underneath her skin, and there was a light twitch to her brow. "Now, why do you ask that?" she said in a monotone voice, still not looking at the blonde.

Aurora shrugged her shoulders and nervously tapped on the armrest between her body and Maleficent's. "You're really quiet."

"I'm a quiet person."

"You won't even look at me."

"I find it hard to do two things at a time."

"Oh please", Aurora chuckled and shook her head, irritated, and Maleficent finally turned her head to look at her.

_"What?" _

"I've heard my father talk about you", Aurora continued and met the emerald sparks with her azure ones, but drew in a quick breath when she realized Maleficent was looking at her over the black frames of her glasses. "You're like the queen of logistics, do not tell me you don't know how to multitask."

Maleficent pursed her lips and turned back to look at the seat in front of her, clutching the file in her hands so hard that her knuckles whitened, much to Aurora's surprise. "I am _not _angry."

"Then _what_ are you?" Aurora bit the inside of her cheek. There was no telling what would anger the woman, then. "You should be satisfied, you got me to come with you, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did."

"Wasn't that your goal in all of this?"

Maleficent slammed the folder shut so hard Aurora flinched in her seat. Diaval glared at them from the other side of the aisle. "Let's get one thing straight, shall we?" She turned her head, eyes narrow. "I took you with me because I simply couldn't stand the guilt of coming back to London and seeing your father, knowing his daughter was taking her clothes off for money in a place that I can only describe as utterly filthy and disgusting."

Aurora stared at her in silence and inhaled sharply when she felt a burning feeling in the corner of her eye. So that's what it all was about. Foolishly, Aurora had thought that maybe Maleficent had insisted on bringing her home due to her _feelings_, but it was all because of her _father_. Of course it was.

"My father…", Aurora began, her heartbeat quickening and breath hitching, "are you two - do you - ?"

"No", Maleficent hissed, pressing her eyes shut. "He's a friend. I care for him deeply. I was there when you left, and I pitied him. If there is something I can do to make his life better, I will. Even if it means bringing you home against your own wish."

"So you're going to leave me at his doorstep, then?" Aurora muttered, suddenly angry. Maleficent said that she'd deal with Stefan, that Aurora didn't have to worry about him. If their conversations would be like this in the future, she might actually prefer being dumped back home. The tension between them was maddening.

"I'll leave you there when you feel like it", she replied sharply, removing her glasses.

Aurora took a deep breath and tried to ignore the agonizing twist in her stomach. She glared at her watch; twenty minutes until arrival. A warm tingle shuddered through her at the thought of seeing Britain's beautiful coast in the horizon, but at the same time her heart was heavy. Living the life she had in Amsterdam had given her a certain freedom; she'd known where her paycheck would come from and she never had to explain herself. The people at Casa Rosso had taken her in, given her a job, security, yet never forced her to do anything against her will. All she had done had been on her own accord, except _this_; _this_ was for _Maleficent_, not her.

Still, a quiet sense of gratitude succumbed her as she inhaled the sweet scent of the woman next to her. The thought that someone would go as far as she had, even if it was for Stefan, meant a great deal to Aurora. Maleficent's intensions were good, in the end. Swallowing, Aurora softly moved her hand over to Maleficent's, which still laid on the file in her hands. Carefully, Aurora placed her hand upon the brunette's thin, white fingers and squeezed a bit.

Maleficent immediately glared at the sudden warmth on her skin. For a couple of seconds, she only looked, but then she swiftly moved her hand away from beneath Aurora's and placed it on the armrest between them. "You may want to look to your left", she whispered to the girl without looking up, then opened her file again and pretended to read.

Aurora moved her hand back to her own lap and shot a look out the window. There it was; the beautiful, green coast of the most beautiful island she'd ever known. Still, the presence to her right was more beautiful than the sight before her, and no matter what she wanted to tell herself, nothing could compare.


End file.
